George Akume, secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF), on Tuesday, inaugurated the steering committee for the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) World Bank Project.
Segun Imohiosen, director, information, office of the SGF, in a statement, said Akume charged the committee to enrol every Nigerian on the digital identification system which will facilitate access to services, improve service delivery and bolster the nation’s digital economy.
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The committee is expected to shape the strategic direction, policies, and frameworks necessary to ensure the successful implementation of this transformative project.
The steering committee has George Akume as chairman and Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director-general, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as secretary.
Other members are Ali Pate, the minister of health and social welfare; Lateef Fagbemi, minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation; Atiku Bagidu, minister of budget and national planning and Wale Edun, minister of finance.
Also on the committee are Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior and Bosun Tijanni, minister of communications and digital economy.
The SGF stated the readiness of the government to expedite the implementation of the strategic roadmap for the project through the establishment of a three-tiered institutional framework consisting of a steering committee, strategic unit, and an implementation unit within the National Identity Management Commission.
These institutional frameworks, according to him, are tasked with overall governance, coordination, and communication with ecosystem partners, and day-to-day project implementation.
He underscored the high premium the President Tinubu-led administration places on digital identity with the recent reinforcement of the extant approval for the mandatory use of National Identification Number (NIN) for digital services and the issuance of service-wide circulars from OSGF to this effect.
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Coker-Odusote in her remarks, said the establishment of the steering committee would herald a new era of collaboration, innovation, and progress in the collective efforts to harness the power of digital technology for socio-economic development, empowering individuals, and fostering inclusive growth.
